Missy

This has been a moving feast with different stories each day around it.

On the legal advice, I understand this was voted in parliament, No. 10 were initially unwilling to release it, however, both the opposition and members of the Government put pressure on the PM to release it.

As for the deal, it is believed that the deal will include the UK remaining in a customs union of sorts which will seriously hamper its ability to make outside trade deals. The UK had wanted to be able to unilaterally decide to withdraw from the Customs Union, however the EU has refused this, and instead it is believed that the agreement allows a provision for independent arbitration, though it is not clear who will provide the arbitration and the EU are known for not being too keen on outside organisations making decisions for it.

The DUP have indicated that if what they are hearing is true then they will be unable to vote for it, and it is believed that members of the ERG will most likely not vote for it, Remainers are unhappy with the reported deal also, leaving May quite isolated on this.

This evening Cabinet members are being called into Downing Street one at a time for discussions around the deal in the hopes of avoiding mass resignations after the Cabinet meeting tomorrow afternoon.

A couple of days ago it was reported both the UK and the EU were finally preparing for a no deal brexit, and if reports on this deal are correct then that seems to be the most likely outcome.

One of the main points of anger with many – both in Parliament and the public – is that an unelected civil servant appears to have had the lead on the negotiations. It is believed that Ollie Robbins has had the final say over the deal, and as a staunch Remainer he is not trusted to deliver the Brexit people want. The reports of what the deal contain seem to be a case of the UK (Ollie Robbins specifically) having caved in to the EU demands and given them what they want. This is what many voted Brexit to avoid, a civil servant who cannot be voted out of office having so much power over their future.

If this deal is what is reported it is the end of the Conservative Government, the only question will be around whether there will be a snap election or whether they can limp to the next election in 2022.

Missy

Last week Macron was quoted as saying that the EU needs it’s own purely European Army in order to counter threats from Russia, China and the US, this didn’t get much reporting due to the proximity to Armistice Day, and it was mostly written off by many in Britain as being Macron trying to divert due to his low approval ratings.

Yesterday however the French Finance Minister said the EU needs to create a great Empire to compete with the US and China, and today Angela Merkel said in the European Parliament that the EU needs a strong purely European Army – echoing Macron’s words.

For many on the Leave side of the argument in the UK this vindicates much of what was said during the referendum, for many it also poses a frightening prospect of empire building by the EU. However, for those that know the EU’s history this is just another move towards its endgame of a Federal Europe ruled from Brussels. They are getting there.

Flag – yes
National Anthem (yes they call it a national anthem) – yes
Parliament – yes
President – yes
Currency – most of the way there
Military – on the way (they started the process years ago for a single EU military)

What many in the EU don’t recognise is that it is this expansionism and move to federalism that is helping with the rise of the far right, and their response is the talk about greater Europe to crush the far right, which will no doubt just fuel its popularity and rise.

The EU are generally reluctant to hold referendums in member states on these matters, many question why the UK did. Macron, a few months ago, told an interviewer that if there was a vote in France like they had in the UK (in reference to the EU referendum) that the French people would vote the same way as the Brits did, and that is why he won’t hold a referendum on the EU. That is their mindset, Macron is a product of the EU.